Evergreen and hardy shrubs offer a green ray of hope in the garden as a hedge or as a solitaire even in the dreary, dark months. If a hedge has been laid out as a privacy screen from the neighbors or from the street, then it should be as dense as possible in winter and keep out any prying eyes. There are many evergreen shrubs suitable for cultivation in the garden bed. Below is a list of ornamental, evergreen and hardy shrubs.
Table of Contents
Berberitze
The barberry is also known under the name sour thorn. Only recently has the shrub been cultivated more frequently in local gardens, as it was banned for several decades as a carrier of grain rust. The small to medium-sized shrub has ovate, elongated leaves, the shoots have sharp thorns. Some species also have a beautiful variegated fall and winter color. Barberry care should be as follows:
- sunny location
- no special demands on soil
- moderately dry to moderately moist
- alkaline to acidic
- planting time in spring
- no additional fertilizer
- water only in hot periods
- cut compatible
- need little pruning
The barberry can be cultivated both as a specimen and as a hedge.
boxwood
One of the best-known evergreen and hardy shrubs is the boxwood, which has already been cultivated as a hedge or solitaire in many local gardens, and rightly so. Because the easy-care and pruning-friendly boxwood can be cut into many different shapes. Some hobby gardeners become true artists in their own garden. The following should also be observed during maintenance:
- sunny and bright location
- light shade at noon
- well-drained, slightly moist soil
- calcareous and loamy
- plant in spring
- water in dry periods
- regularly supply with boxwood fertilizer
- the more cut the better
- grows bushier after a cut
Firethorn
The firethorn comes from the genus Rosacae, the rose family. The different cultivars available here have different berry colors. The branches have long sharp thorns. The small leaves are dark green on top and light green on the underside, which gives the shrub a decorative character. In summer, the shrub blooms with many small, single flowers, from which inedible fruits develop in autumn. Caring for the hardy shrub is as follows:
- heat tolerant
- wants full sun exposure
- well-drained, fresh, dry soil
- gut pH-tolerant
- Planting time between May and August
- watering is not required
- Dry periods are tolerated
- fertilize with compost in spring
- hardly any cutting required
- only damaged and dried up shoots
Glanzmispel
Even if these are evergreen shrubs, the medlar with its red leaves is definitely one of them. Because the shrub is a decorative eye-catcher in the garden even in the winter months. In summer, on the other hand, it also impresses with small white flowers, from which red fruits develop in autumn, which are also attractive to birds. The easy-care photinia should be treated as follows:
- slightly dry, well-drained soil
- wants lots of nutrients
- can thrive in acidic and alkaline soils
- sunny to partially shaded location
- The “Robusta” variety is hardy
- Plant out in fall or spring
- Solitaire does not need to be cut
- fertilize with compost in spring
- water in dry periods
Kalmia (laurel rose)
Kalmia, which is also commercially available under the names laurel rose or mountain laurel , is not yet so well known and therefore not yet widespread in the local latitudes . This is an evergreen and hardy shrub that impresses with its decorative flowers in summer. However, care should be taken when cultivating if there are small children or pets in the garden, because all parts of the shrub are poisonous. The ideal care looks like this:
- sunny and bright location
- Plant frugally even with semi-shade
- sheltered from the wind
- loose and well-drained, slightly acidic soil
- fertilize with compost in spring
- water regularly
- especially on dry, hot days
- Make sure there is enough moisture even in winter
- well tolerated by cuts
- grows slowly
cherry laurel
The cherry laurel is an evergreen relative of plums and cherries, but the term laurel is misleading. Cherry laurels are popular hedge plants in the local latitudes and also offer good privacy protection in winter. But the shrub, which develops candle-like, upright white inflorescences in summer, can also be cultivated as a specimen. However, the fruits that result from this are poisonous when raw. The care of the cherry laurel is as follows:
- light penumbra
- especially in winter pay attention to the sun
- hardly any demands on soil
- no waterlogging
- plant in spring or fall
- fertilize with compost in spring
- fertilize with potassium in the fall
- Trim the hedge once a year
- Solitaire does not require pruning
Tree of Life – Thuja
Unfortunately, fewer and fewer thuja hedges have been planted in recent years, as the tree of life is reminiscent of the 1970s. The decorative shrub, which belongs to the cypress family, is easy to care for, evergreen and hardy, making it the perfect mixture for a hedge as a privacy screen. In addition, arborvitae have rapid growth. Care should be taken as follows:
- location in full sun
- Soil always moist, even on hot days
- sandy and calcareous loamy soil ideal
- water sufficiently
- fertilize with compost in spring
- regular pruning required
- just cut into shape
- Thuja is easy to shape
- the tree of life is poisonous in all parts
- Be careful with small children and pets
Mahogany
The easy-care, small-growing shrub originally comes from Columbia. Here it grows widely in the undergrowth. The mahonia , which belongs to the sour thorn family, can also be used in many ways in our local gardens. The shrub grows broadly bushy and no higher than one and a half meters. The leaves turn copper red immediately after budding as well as in autumn and winter and thus offer a great contrast to the yellow flowers that appear in summer and the blue fruits in autumn. A colorful variety in every season is therefore given. Maintenance should be done as follows:
- sheltered penumbra
- Sun is also accepted
- permeable garden soil
- can be wet or dry
- planting time in spring
- fertilize with compost in spring
- water only in hot periods
- cut off runners
- good cutting tolerance
- cut old plants radically in the fall
The mahonia is not recommended as a solitary hedge due to its low height, but it can find a place between perennials, under trees or between other hedge plants and thus loosen up the hedge.
Rhododendron
The evergreen and hardy rhododendron is quite idiosyncratic when it comes to care. Because it needs the right living conditions to thrive and develop flowers in summer. Nevertheless, the shrub can be found as a solitaire in many local gardens. The strong-growing and quite large shrub is not suitable for a hedge. The spectrum of colors of the flowers that emerge in summer is very diverse. The rhododendron should receive the following care so that it does not grow old:
- very demanding with soil conditions
- lime-free, humic, loose, acidic and always slightly moist
- Location bright to shady
- in front of a north face ideal
- East and west faces are also accepted
- supply regularly with rhododendron fertilizer
- don’t let it dry out
- Absolutely avoid waterlogging
- only water with rainwater
- tolerates pruning well
shadowbell
The shadow bell, also known here as lavender heather, is an evergreen shrub that can reach a height of between two and four meters. So the Schattenglöckchen is also suitable as a hedge, because the plant is also hardy. The leaves of the lavender heather vary between pink and red, the bell-like flowers remain as buds over the winter and then appear in their full splendor in the following spring. The care of the shrub is as follows:
- moist, acidic, humus-rich and well-drained soil
- similar to that of the rhododendron
- therefore also use special fertilizer
- Location light to semi-shady
- otherwise there will be no flowers
- Planting time between August and September
- well tolerated by cuts
- propagate via runners
Spindle bush
Among the varieties of the spindle shrub, there are also some evergreen and hardy specimens in addition to the deciduous ones. In order to find the right one here, you should pay attention to this when buying from the nursery. Here the shrubs are also known under the name cork wing shrub. The flowers of the bush are inconspicuous, but the fruit adorns the spindle bush in autumn. These are poisonous to humans, but birds appreciate them as food. When it comes to maintenance, you should pay attention to the following:
- sunny location
- in the shade, the leaves do not change color in autumn
- any garden soil is suitable
- The main planting season is spring
- but also possible at any other frost-free time
- fertilize with compost in spring
- keep in good shape with proper cut
- only Japanese Spindle not hardy
Conclusion
There are many different evergreen and hardy shrubs that can be cultivated in your own garden as a hedge or solitaire or as a standard tree. As a rule, these are all quite easy to care for. Therefore, the choice for one or the other shrub is not so easy, as they all beautify the garden even in the dreary months and offer long-term privacy as a hedge.
